


His Light

by Jenny02



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Battle, Death, Declarations Of Love, Desperate Byleth, Desperate Dimitri, F/M, Healing, Loss, Love, Magic, Romance, Sad Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-05 19:34:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20278654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenny02/pseuds/Jenny02
Summary: In a desperate battle, Byleth does what's necessary to save those she's grown to care so much for.





	His Light

Dimitris's lungs were burning along with what felt like every muscle in his body. He didn't know how long they had been fighting at this point. The minutes blurred together and he just kept cutting down anyone who would oppose him or his allies. From the corner of his eye, he could see Byleth fighting with everything she had. A familiar look of focus and contained rage on her face. 2 of their comrades had already fallen. Sylvain and Mercedes had both gotten hurt, and in the heat of battle no healer was close by to assist them, all they could do was leave them behind with Felix to help protect them from anyone who managed to get by the vanguard. They had been ambushed after just taking down an enemy commander, they had barely put away their weapons and started treating the wounded when suddenly enemy forces were surrounding them._ We're outnumbered_, he thought. There was no way around it, and little by little more of his allies started falling till eventually, it was only him and Byleth. "No, goddess please no.... I can't go back again... I used all the divine pulses against the battle with the commander" Byleth said in a desperate whisper. "Byleth, what are you talking about? Focus we can make it through this together," he told her despite a feeling of dread falling through him. "No... NO! I WON'T LET IT END LIKE THIS! I REFUSE" Byleth screamed a distraught look on her face. With that, he saw her hair start flowing wildly around her. Her arms were outstretched and she looked pained. A rippling energy started flowing out of her and towards him and his allies. He started feeling renewed energy pulsing through him. It took him a minute to realize what she was doing, his eyes widened and he went towards her to get her to stop. He remembered what she had told him back then. There was no way he was letting her do this.

** 5 1/2 years earlier**

Byleth was cleaning the chalkboard after the lesson when Dimitri walked in with a nervous look on his face. She turned and sent him a small smile "Dimitri, do you need something?" she asked him. He looked up "I.. I was wondering if I could get some extra lessons," he told her. Byleth tilted her head "I would be happy to help, but in all honesty, you don't need them. You're already quite a bit further ahead than the rest of the class when it comes to swordsmanship and the lance, not to mention your leadership skills." she said with a curious expression. He nodded and responded "I thank you for the praise Professor but that's not what I had in mind. I was hoping you could teach me some basic faith magic. I'd like to at least somewhat help my classmates on the battlefield." Byleth was surprised, to say the least, Dimitri didn't seem like the type to want to use magic but she was more than happy to help him. "I actually have some time now if you'd like to start." He nodded enthusiastically at her response "The sooner the better Professor." With that Byleth strapped on her sword and told Dimitri to follow her. She decided it would be best if they practiced in the forest behind the school, so long as they didn't go too far in it was a safe and quiet place that made it easier for someone to focus.

An hour had passed and Dimitri didn't seem to be getting any better at it, he was able to summon a small amount of magic power but it would soon after dissipate. "Damn it, I just can't get it to stay!" he said, frustration creeping into his words. Byleth lowered his hand and started thinking of how she could help Dimitri learn to use magic. It was brand new to him so of course difficulty was to be expected. Thats when it came to her. Of course he wasn't getting it, he didn't understand how it worked. She had assumed he knew the basics, stupid of her. "Sorry Dimitri, I should've known better. Do you know how magic works?" she asked him. He looked up at her with a sheepish expression. "Not really, no" she smiled a bit before diving into her explanation.

"Every living thing has life energy. It's what keeps you alive, without it none of the life around us would exist. That goes for human beings as well as the grass we walk on. However, humans have the unique ability to manipulate our energy. The manipulation of our own life energy is what lets us heal others. That's what faith magic is, reason magic is the manipulation of the energy around us. You want to help heal others so you need to learn to feel that energy inside you and make it move outside of you, you're basically giving some of your life energy to the person. It's a bit difficult to put into words, it's better to just feel it out," she finished. Dimitri listened intently before asking questions "What exactly does it feel like?" he asked. Byleth was quiet for a second "It feels like a warmth inside your chest, it reminds me of sunlight. Warm and bright." she answered. "Won't the person who's using their life energy get hurt since their giving away their energy?" She shook her head at the question "Your body won't let you use up all the energy, that's why there's a limited amount of times you can use this magic, people only have so much to give. However, there are those who's bodies don't have that limit, they can use up all of their life energy. They are seen as more powerful faith magic users, but if they don't learn their limit themselves they could die from it." she told him. Dimitri looked pensive for a moment before he looked up again "Professor, does your body let you surpass your limit?" he asked. She nodded "Yes, that's why I have to be careful when using faith magic, but I wonder what I could do if I used all of it," she finished with a whisper. Dimitri shot her a worried look when she said that. She laughed at that "Don't worry I wouldn't risk leaving all of you alone." 

With that, she got the dagger she had in her belt strap and made a small cut on her hand. "Healing is easier if you make contact with the one you're trying to help. You have to feel out your energy and try to make it flow towards the persons own energy, then the wound will begin healing," she said reaching for his hand with her own injured one.

They intertwined their fingers and Dimitri closed his eyes trying to find the energy she spoke of. It was hard for him to concentrate, with her hand in his. Eventually, he was able to manipulate his energy to start flowing towards her. She was right, it did feel warm, comforting even. But it didn't remind him of the sun, it reminded him of _**her**_. 

**Present**

He wasn't going to let her use up all her life energy. He needed her, she was his light in this hellhole of a world. Once he reached her he grabbed her by the shoulder. "Byleth, stop this! You don't need to do this, we can heal them after the battle is won, we can win without you sacrificing yourself!!" he yelled but her focus never left.

She felt her life energy flowing towards all her beloved students. She couldn't let them die here. They had suffered enough, especially Dimitri. She couldn't imagine the grief he would go through should he lose all his close friends especially so soon after he had regained his sanity. She could feel the last of her energy slipping away and Dimitri was still desperately holding onto her. Suddenly her knees gave out from under her but she could already hear her students rising from where they had been before. No longer were they sporting grievous wounds. She smiled at that.

Dimitri caught her before she could fall. His focus was no longer on the battlefield, with his comrades once again up to full strength the battle was as good as won. "Byleth, please look at me" he said, his voice cracking. Upon hearing that Byleth looked up at Dimitri. "I-I'm glad.... I could help you all one last time" she said with a weak voice. Dimitri's tears were flowing at this point looking at his beloved Byleth looking so fragile. "Please, please don't leave, I need you.. I- I never got to tell you..." he sobbed, unspoken emotions running through him.

He couldn't lose her now. He closed his eyes and tried to give some of his energy to her but it was like her body was rejecting it. His eyes snapped open and he saw her weak smile "M..my body is as good as gone Dima.." she said, using the nickname she used to tease him with. "You can't heal me" she said. "THEN WHY DID I LEARN THAT MAGIC, IF NOT TO SAVE THE ONE I LOVE WHAT GOOD IS IT FOR!" he screamed, agony piercing his heart. Tears of her own were now falling, he finally said what she had wanted to hear for years now, but at a time like this....life really was cruel. "I love you too, Dimitri" she managed to whisper as her strength started leaving her. She reached up and cupped his cheek " and I always will, s-so please... for me, for yourself, don't let the darkness take over again. I-I'll be... watching.. over.... you" her voice faded out as the light from her eyes went out. Dimitri let out an agonizing scream as he saw her life fade away. He sobbed and held her body tighter to him. For her, for Byleth he would kill Edelgard and he would comply with her dying wish. "For you my love, I will bring this world back from the brink of darkness, no matter how hard it struggles."


End file.
